The Royals: A Kings Heart

Chapter 17

SASA'S POV_

Our picnic was amazing. After eating, we drank some wine and relaxed watching the garden.

Me: "So tell me what's happening this weekend?"

Nkosi: "There's a reed dance, my mothers are organizing. Apparently I need to find a maiden." I giggled.

Me: "Why don't you tell them you already have one?"

Nkosi: "Then they'd want to meet you and ruin what we have."

Me: "Why do think they'd ruin it?"

Nkosi: "My parents have a way of getting under someone's skin."

Me: "Have you introduced a woman to them before?"

Nkosi: "Yes. Two years ago I met a woman that I was interested in. We dated for a short while. I wasn't quite sure about her. My mother asked me to invite her for dinner, I did. It was a mess."

Me: "They didn't like her?"

Nkosi: "No, they loved her but something made me really uncomfortable. I wasn't sure what. She was suddenly obsessed with being a 'good wife' and taking care of me. This confused me because I wasn't planning marriage yet. I'd been celibate since I came back from and she was pushing. I wasn't really comfortable, so I took her up the trail in the mountain. We didn't even reach the top before it started. She kept falling and bruising her knees. When we kept going, she fell again before Nkanyamba appeared. I knew then and there, I needed to get her out. So we turned back. When we reached the building, she couldn't breath properly. Things got quite bad, Mthunzi brought the healer to work on her. After that, I broke up with her. She's since moved to another city."

Me: "Who's Nkanyamba?"

Nkosi: "The snake you were afraid of. The one that was in front of you. They represent my ancestors."

Me: "So the snakes bite? Or harm? What?"

Nkosi: "If you're not a good person, they'd never let you get to the top where we were sitting. That is their alter. You sat down, they came to acknowledge you and left you alone."

Me: "And that means what?"

Nkosi: "They approve of you."

Me: "Snakes scare me."

Nkosi: "They would never harm you. Besides, we won't have to go up the Dlozi trail again. Come here." I placed my empty glass aside, moving closer to him. He kissed my lips.

Me: "Why don't you want to make love to me?" He smiled.

Nkosi: "I want to marry you first."

Me: "Why would that make a difference?"

Nkosi: "I said I love you. By loving you, I need to respect your family. More especially your father. I'm not his favorite person to begin with."

Me: "I understand. Thank you Nkosi. I got carried away. You just smell so nice, and you have this beautiful gaze. Look at your smile. I love seeing you smile. I love you too." He smiled, shy.

Nkosi: "Thank you."

Me: "Tell me, have you ever played a sport?"

Nkosi: "Absolutely not. Why would I?" I laughed uncontrollably. Oh this was going to be perfect.

Me: "Babe. I think I want us to play soccer-"

Nkosi: "I would do anything, absolutely anything but that."

Me: "Why?"

Nkosi: "I'd look foolish."

Me: "No you wouldn't."